Systems, methods, and devices are provided for detecting short circuits in a backlight assembly without a resistor-based current sensor. For example, an electronic display according to the present disclosure may include a display panel and a backlight assembly to illuminate the display panel. The backlight assembly may drive a backlight element to illuminate the display panel and may include backlight short-circuit detection circuitry. The backlight short-circuit protection circuitry may detect a feedback voltage associated with the backlight element and determine when a short circuit has occurred based at least in part on the feedback voltage.